**NS Roleplay Symposium 2017**
LOCATION: Symposium Hall
TOPIC: Introduction to Roleplaying (Broad Panel, Late Hour)
TIME: 8PM - 9 PM EST, Sunday, July 9th
Welcome to our 4th panel of the Symposium. I'm Cerillium - please call me Cer - your discussion moderator for this session.
Tonight's topic is Introduction to Roleplaying. There are multiple roleplaying forums on Nationstates, and each of them serve a different purpose. They are, Portal to The Multiverse (P2TM), Forum 7 (F7), International Incidents (II), Global Economics and Trade (GE&T), NS Sports, and Factbooks and National Information (F&NI). Each of these roleplay forums play host to a different part of the Nationstates roleplay community. Tonight, we'll look at the various ways you can ease yourself into these communities, the techniques utilized for successful RP therein, and answer questions about roleplaying in general.
Panelists, please introduce yourselves and tell us which subforums you haunt.
Guests, we will pull your questions from the #questions_chamber. A reminder: we also have a panel at 9PM EST. Thank you.
BEGIN::(edited)
Kyrusia - Today at 8:00 PM
I'm Kyru. NS Game Mod, N&I RP Mentor specializing in FT, and I oversee the Mentor Program.
Giovenith - Today at 8:01 PM
I'm Gio, I'm from P2TM, and I got here just in time!
Zark - Today at 8:02 PM
I'm Zark (Zarkenis Ultima on the forums), P2TM Roleplay Mentor, nice to be back in here
Ghant - Today at 8:02 PM
Ah, here we go. I'm Ghant, veteran N&I RPer specializing in PT and MT.
Mincaldenteans - Today at 8:03 PM
I'm Mincaldenteans from P2TM and avid lurker
Kyrusia - Today at 8:03 PM
(And devotee of the :coffee:, obv.)
Cer - Today at 8:03 PM
Question 1 Stock question - "How did you all get into roleplaying? What drew you in, and why?"
Gren - Today at 8:04 PM
I'm Gren from P2TM, and secretly Jenny from the Block.
Cer - Today at 8:04 PM
Welcome, all panelists. :smile:
Kyrusia - Today at 8:04 PM
Q1: In general? Boredom around my 9th(?) birthday or so. Stumbled across a chatroom for it.
On NS? Got thrown this way off-hand. Stuck around ever since. :stuck_out_tongue:
Giovenith - Today at 8:05 PM
Q1: I was already into writing independently from a young age. When I told my friend I liked to imagine myself living in my favorite cartoons, we played a game where we took turns verbally telling a story about our exploits. I found other people online who did the same thing, and it went on from there.
Gren - Today at 8:06 PM
As for me, I stepped a toe into II, and wasn't very successful. Then I got into F7 RP (before P2TM became a thing), and some time later, got into it through the NSG Senate. And that's when I found out I liked character RP.
Ghant - Today at 8:06 PM
For me, it started when I was a child, probably around 5 or so. It started as a desire to pretend and to take advantage of an abundant sense of imagination. I make roleplay for a few reasons. In life, we experience so much fragmentation of thought and feeling. For me, roleplaying brings things back together. In my own work, that is true throughout the process. At the beginning, developing the basic narrative is deeply reflective and informative. Later, bringing those narratives together into a form—distilling and shaping movement, creating a context, working to something that feels cohesive and complete. That’s incredibly powerful for me—something that really keeps me going. Interestingly, the body of my work is like a catalog of the events and thoughts of my life. For me, making work is almost like keeping a journal. Giving that to someone else—as a kind of gift through live performance—is the most meaningful aspect of my work.
Zark - Today at 8:06 PM
My first internet roleplaying experience was through an internet chat appended to a flash gaming website, and I participated mostly out of curiosity and boredom. It wasn't great, but it did awaken a spark of curiosity that later surfaced again when a friend from the same gaming website introduced me to NationStates. That's the story, anyway. Regarding what drew me in, well, collaborative storytelling is a creative outlet where you can interact with others, so that's nice
Mincaldenteans - Today at 8:09 PM
I got into RP out of love for Star Trek back in the day when AOL Chat RPs were everywhere or play-by-email. It was from there I moved forward through other mediums. Forum/pbp RPs was a new platform when I joined NS, but not too dissimilar in method and playstyle. And really, its a nice way to escape reality for a bit and have some fun in creative writing exercise.
Cer - Today at 8:09 PM
Question 2 posed by Thoricia - "What the best place for a new player to NS to start?"(edited)
Giovenith - Today at 8:11 PM
Q2: The very, very first? I'd say F7. The "Something something in your nation" threads give a good taste for what NS'ers think about in regards to their nations and can give you some basic foundation with which to eventually search out an RP in either N&I or P2TM.
Gren - Today at 8:12 PM
I agree, but I'm probably biased.
Zark - Today at 8:12 PM
I'd say that's rather subjective, personally. It depends on the person's intersts whether or not they would enjoy certain subforum over others, and there will always be someone to teach them the ropes, whether they dip into N&I or 5D. That said, I believe the effort one has to go through to build up your NS to the point that it can be used in a roleplay is greater than the effort needed to find something that appeals to one's tastes in 5D and dip right in.
Ghant - Today at 8:12 PM
Q2: Browsing the forums. Just taking a look around II and NS RPs, or P2M if that's more your appeal. Become familiar with the types of subforums, various types of roleplays, what sort of work is most appealing, etc. Really just reading a lot. The more you read, the better position you'll find yourself in once you're ready to commit yourself to writing.
Kyrusia - Today at 8:13 PM
Q2: That's a toughy. I think it'd depend on the player's play style and what they want to get out of the experience. More than anything, I think it's important to lurk and read the information about whatever board they want to get involved in. Read, absorb, and observe; learn a bit about the community through observation (and OOC interaction) before you decide to jump in.
Cer - Today at 8:13 PM
Question 3 posed by Ched - "What are the obvious signs of a RP belonging in a different subforum than where it is. Like a F7 thread sneaking its way into P2TM or N&I."
Ghant - Today at 8:15 PM
Q3: The question relating to this that I get asked most often about is whether a thread belongs in II or NS. I think the main difference lies in whether or not there are "broad consequences" as a result of the thread. Therefore, military threads and deep diplomatic and conference threads should go in II. On the other hand, things like balls, royal weddings, intrigues and internal, non-civil war RPs seem better suited towards the NS subforum.
Kyrusia - Today at 8:15 PM
Q3: This can, admittedly, be a bit nebulous. The easiest division is between P2TM and N&I, though liminal circumstances do exist, which we (Mods) of course judge individually. Namely: if it involves your NS-country (as a setting, macro-entity, its characters, etc.), it belongs somewhere on the N&I boards; all RP not involving your NS-country belongs in P2TM
As for F7, that really does depend. If it looks and behaves like a thread game, often regardless of how it is billed, it will likely be moved to F7. Othertimes, specific threads specifically go there, despite their tangential relation to N&I - such as "Above Nation" threads.
Gren - Today at 8:16 PM
To paraphrase a Supreme Court justice: "You know it when you see it".
Giovenith - Today at 8:16 PM
Q3: It's one of those cases of, "You can't really describe it, but you know it when you see it." F7 is supposed to be a place for inconsequential, spammy play, things that are more-so just reactions than an actual story.
And damn Gren for stealing my comparison.
Kyrusia - Today at 8:16 PM
Honestly, Gren is not wrong; there is a fair degree of raw experience and knowing the general flow of things involved.
Cer - Today at 8:16 PM
Question 4 posed by Vax - "How do you feel about using tabletop RPG systems for forum roleplay? For nation-level roleplay (as opposed to character roleplay)?"
Gren - Today at 8:17 PM
I'm not at all opposed to mechanical RPs, as they help you better define the limitations and abilities of the entity you're roleplaying.
Ghant - Today at 8:18 PM
Q4: the main issue with tabletop RPG systems is accountability. If you're using such a system for a war rp, for instance, do you trust the other player to use that system fairly? Unless there's a video setup where you can see the dice, for instance, you can't really know. You can just utilize a "Dungeon Master" to facilitate the system in game provided all involved parties trust that person to conduct the game fairly and to everyone's satisfaction.
Kyrusia - Today at 8:19 PM
Q4: I am always wary of trying to forcibly overlay a gaming system not native to NS onto NS. Some things simply do not work, and thus adjustments should be made; trying to force it can lead to Bad Happenings™ for all those involved.
Personally, I am also not much for mechanical systems of decision making with regarding to roleplaying. I, as a Mentor, tend to advise heavily on the collaborative/compromise aspects and the importance of having some manner of friendly rapport with those you RP with, deciding things based upon mutual enjoyment, common sense, and the demands of the plot.
Not to say mechanics can't (or even absolutely shouldn't) play a role, but I think people need to adjust their systems for the unique RP environment of NS.
Cer - Today at 8:20 PM
Q4 A quick weigh-in. We do have mechanics games in P2TM. We have various methods for dice rolling, etc. Please feel free to hit up G-Tech Corporation to get an overview of how they play out.
::(edited)
Question 5 posed by Thoricia - "What are the best resources on NS for new players to access easily?"
Kyrusia - Today at 8:22 PM
Q5: The FAQ, OSRS, and Terms & Conditions of Use. /unfunny but topical
Beyond that? Seriously. Read the stickies. Numerous dedicated players, Mentors, and Mods help keep those things up and filled with resources. It's a shame when a player doesn't visit them first; while no Mentor will complain about getting a question answered in a sticky - they're far too polite and kind-hearted for it - but a lot of the simplest questions are answered by them.(edited)
Zark - Today at 8:22 PM
Q5: Well, there are a myriad of resources on the forum that new players can find simply by looking at the stickies in their forum of preference. The P2TM Info Thread is a good example.
Ghant - Today at 8:22 PM
Q5: The NS Mentors thread, the advice and assistance thread, and either the MT, PMT or FT community hub threads depending on which of those areas they consider the most appealing. The community threads consist of guides, IRC / Discord channels and a general guide to how to get started.
Giovenith - Today at 8:23 PM
Q5: Read le stickies, participate in chat threads, come to official offsite chat. Really, the only huge obstacle is shyness.
Cer - Today at 8:23 PM
Question 6 posed by Insaeldor/Caesoux - "How do you set a scene for an event? Like a discussion between generals, a talk amongst friends. How do you personally set up the mood and the environment in your posts? And what are some ways you seen it done alternatively to yours that you think are good?"
Kyrusia - Today at 8:24 PM
Q6: I have been known to physically act them out, as nerdy as that is, but the general gist is the same: imagine the scene before and during the writing of such. I also tend to emphasize using contextual clues in the writing to indicate the mood, level of tension, etc; visceral writing can help with this, though I know some struggle with that style of writing. Your goal should be to show, not tell, the reader.
I've also seen - and personally used, particularly in thread OPs - blurbs of narrative exposition, I would just recommend using them only rarely - such as in an OP - to help paint the initial scene. Quotes that highlight the theme can also help with this, especially in one-shots.(edited)
Ghant - Today at 8:26 PM
Q6: What I try to do is establish the scene in a similar vein to how it would appear in a movie. You have the setting, and you describe what the setting is like, either from the POV of an involved character or from a general observation. Then I establish who the characters are, if I haven't already done so in a previous post, and why they are there. What they are doing, what's on their minds, etc. There's usually a theme involved that sort of provides structure to the post, whether it's something like fear, apprehension, disgust, loathing, etc. Then the characters in that setting, if there are more than one, communicate, or if it's just one character then they might reflect, have an internal monologue, what have you. I've seen other players start posts off with the conversation at hand and have little in the way of expose, and still capture the dramatic tension of the situation at hand.
Giovenith - Today at 8:27 PM
Q6: A piece of advice I've been told and I think works really well is try to describe what you would see in a show or movie. With visual mediums, you rarely cut to just characters sitting around and talking - you pan over the park in the summer, listen to the laughter of children before focusing in on the characters at a bench. You get a glimpse of the howling, grey skies of a tundra. You pan across the rocker and pop star posters plastered across the main character's walls so that you know what kind of person they are before they open their mouths. This, of course, requires a mind that is able to both consume and disseminate media - try looking at the things you like and breaking down how they operate, and why that works, and see how you can reflect that in your own work.(edited)
Zark - Today at 8:28 PM
Q6: I find that detailing the thoughts and actions (voluntary and involuntary) of the characters is one of the most important things for setting a scene. Not just what they say, but the way they react to what is said and what happens around them. This is especially noticeable in first person, but in my experience most NS roleplaying is carried out in third person, which works fine as well.
It should be noted that, since the characters are not consciousnesses floating in the void, describing their environment to a degree is also important, as it is the environment in which the characters are and with which they'll inevitably interact.
Cer - Today at 8:28 PM
Question 7 Earlier, a guest asked about "characters in a relationship with another, and the OOC player is taking the relationship as something more between you (the player) and them (the OOC player)." They sought tips for these situations. Swith advised, People tend to race into relationships between characters. The IC activity comes across as high school obsessive, or nightclub cheap. There's no chemistry. It's bored players getting a thrill. Real relationships build over time as characters endure trials and tribulations together. If the IC relationship has a solid foundation, there is less of a chance that the other player will treat it as OOC interest.
Question posted by Eridani Imperium - "Follow-up to this morning's question (question 13, to be exact), but how would the mentors develop a relationship between two characters, meeting the criteria of, to quote Swith, "building over time as characters endure trials and tribulations together?"
Mincaldenteans - Today at 8:31 PM
I would say keeping them "together" during sub plots that are appropriate to the setting and seperate to their own stories so that said characters have their own unique perspectives and growth that aren't so tightly bound together that they cannot function without their significant other. Couples have their own interests, opinions, beliefs, careers, goals, worries, etc. etc, and to establish a convincing relationship in an RP, such trials and tribulations in RL often reflect the same in a relationship established in a RP.
Ghant - Today at 8:32 PM
Q7: I have several established character arcs with other players that have evolved organically over time. I think the important thing to remember with this is to allow the characters to grow organically in their own way, as in how those characters would act, how they would behave, and what would they do given various sets of circumstances presented to them. I know that far too often, players WANT a certain outcome for their characters, or want them to do something that isn't entirely within character, and the only reason why they're going in that narrative direction is because that's what the players themselves want. I think this sets a dangerous precedent that's best avoided, because it's damaging to the in game environment when the wishes of the player are superimposed over the natural flow of the story, if you will. To elaborate on what Mincaldenteans said, one of the strongest ways to develop character narratives is to seperate them from the people they're closest to, and allowing them to evolve as individuals and less like accessories to other characters.
Kyrusia - Today at 8:33 PM
Q7: I find the easiest is simply to collaborate with another player for the purpose of this endeavor, weaving a series of plotlines that will both provide independent narratives for each character, but serve to create an overarching plot of interpersonal connectivity between the characters involved. Even so, not every inter-character relationship is so planned or directed; for those that arise simply out of repeated interaction through roleplaying, much as Swith noted: don't rush (unless that rushing serves, itself, as an integral role of the plot). Relationships are complex things and, short of certain forms of infatuation, take time to develop. Even then, however, you can often find that the characters in question will... diverge due to the slow discovery of more things about themselves and each other.
Also, frankly, I think a lot of that is dependent upon the author's own experiences with others, be it romantic or otherwise. "Write what you know." If you have little experience in establishing inter-personal relationships with others, while advice can help, nuance can be missed - and in things such as this, nuance is the keyword.
In closing, I would also - as noted by Min - avoid one-dimensionality or inadvertantly making the characters overly (inter-)dependent. Characters should be treated as individuals with their own thought processes and personalities - again, unless of course, the purpose of the relationship's design is to emphasize one of (inter-)dependency.(edited)
Giovenith - Today at 8:36 PM
Q7: Someday, there will come a time when we'll be able to ask the question, "What is love?" without mentally answering, "Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me no more," but today is not that day.
But yeah, basically the question boils down to asking yourself what real love actually looks like. Humans are infamous for getting confused between relationships they see in fantasy versus relationships that they must develop in real life. In real life, there is no such thing as love at first sight, only lust at first sight and then getting lucky enough for your personalities to click so that it becomes genuine love. One of my mottos in life is this: Love is an action. It doesn't matter how much someone thinks they adore you in their own head, if they don't demonstrate the ability or willingness to do things that care for your needs, it can't truly be called love.
The reason we say "develop relationships over time" is because time is what tells us as human beings how much we can trust another person and how much we really know them. It puts their willingness to care for us to the test, and thus tells us whether or not we can really love them. Romance is supposed to be a partnership, people maintaining a special contact because they've decided that their combined traits create a mutually beneficial lifestyle, and that's something that can only really be confirmed with time, with the opportunity to see how the two of you operate under certain challenges and how you change as people. You have to learn about one's personhood for romance to work, and that is a long research process.
Cer - Today at 8:36 PM
Question 8 posed by MVC - "How does one smoothly resolve combat in an RP? Do good players tend to discuss the results beforehand, or is a degree of competition involved, or is it more trust-based?" - and posed by Ched - "This is more a followup from this morning's panel, but how should one lose with grace? What's the best way one should take being defeated in an RP and take it for future plots?"
Kyrusia - Today at 8:41 PM
Q8: "Yes."
More detailed... "Your worst IC enemy should be your best OOC friend." Natural, friendly competition will always be a thing, but one should forever avoid the OOC desire to defeat an enemy ICly for OOC reasons. I tend to personally always recommend a general collaboration on the outline of what each party wishes to see occur, with leaving plenty of room for improvisation during the process itself. Trust is integral to successful roleplaying in general.
As for the secondary question(s): take it as both an IC and OOC point to grow. Defeat is simply the flipping of the page, providing new levels, degrees, and points of conflict - which as we know, conflict in all forms is the seed of plot. And losing with grace? I know I personally enjoy writing the loss in a manner that is particularly enjoyable for everyone involved. If you're going to lose - or kill off a character - write it well and in an interesting manner; no one likes to have their "victory" constitute the other player just posting, "And we all died. The end."
FRFS - Today at 8:41 PM
Q8: There is always some level of competition. Even amongst great friends. But in most story lines there is a winner and a loser. And losing one story, can propel you so many ways in further in other ones. Losing really isn't a bad thing from a literary perspective.
Zark - Today at 8:41 PM
Regarding the first part, I find that discussing the results beforehand helps a lot in resolving an in-character conflict in a satisfactory manner. I've been in a few roleplays where frequent player-versus-player action was expected, and discussing the results beforehand was basically a rule. Now, that does not mean that it cannot be resolved satisfactorily in a different way: if the players involved have a particular level of trust between them, they could just as well let things play out and see which character should win in the heat of the moment; as I said though, this requires trust.
Regarding the second, I believe that defeat in a roleplay is a prime opportunity for character development. The way a character may take their defeat as a lesson and use it to strive to be better (or alternatively, find themselves unable to move past it) are good examples.
Ghant - Today at 8:42 PM
Q8: Trust is an important element in any functional roleplay, especially military rps, as the old addage goes, "your worst IC enemy should be your best OOC friend." In any event, I think that "good" players conduct such situations fairly, whether that's collaborative or competitive in nature. As far as losing, I've often believed that losing has many narrative merits. One only need to look at history, and three examples that come to mind. The Greeks at Thermopylae, Hannibal in the Second Punic War, and the Texans at the Alamo, to name a few. These are very famous factions that lost their great battles, and yet alot of good came from that. So as far as losing with grace, I'd say if you can capture a great story or future narrative from the loss, take it, because there's no shame in that if you can create something great as a result.
Giovenith - Today at 8:42 PM
Q8: Combat, I believe, is best done between players who have a really good relationship both so that less harsh feelings are had and that there is a reasonable understanding of what each other's characters are capable of. Players who know the person they're fighting well (and may have even a sort of personal attachment themselves to that person's characters) will have an easier time letting themselves lose, because they both understand why it would be logical for them to come out the loser and they don't feel like the other player is doing it to hurt them.
As for losing with grace, it really depends on your character's personality. Are they haughty? Then this may humble them. Are they a good sport? They might laugh and congratulate the other character for being so awesome. Are they insecure? They might run away, cry, and promise to become stronger. Who have they lost to? An enemy, a stranger, a friend? What is the potential cost of this loss? These are the questions you ask to formulate how to best respond to losing.
Cer - Today at 8:42 PM
Question 9 posed by Almaniania [Eternity] - "If you have friends that do Tabletop RPGs that are interested in RPing in a Forum style (NationStates), what is a good way to get them on their feet or ease their transition?"
Kyrusia - Today at 8:45 PM
Q9: Introduce them to pen-and-paper roleplaying.
More seriously, have them take a snippet of some experience or mental scene in a game or campaign they themselves have participated in, and ask them to complete it as a narrative. Some Imperial Guardsmen slowly being killed-off by ever advancing hoards of 'Nids in a campaign, ultimately having ended with some valiant save where the Guardsmen did lose, but the Tyranid victory was phyrric? Write it as a narrative. In the case of games like WH40K and similar, it helps in that these settings natrually evoke visceral imagery.
Ghant - Today at 8:45 PM
Q9: I've recruited some of my Dungeons and Dragons friends to NS, and I think the way that I've best been able to appeal to them is to present NS as a "collaborative fiction writing venue." One thing that tabletop games and NS have in common is a general sense of creating and enacting stories that require imagination and dedication, which produces its own reward. So for starters, just getting them to think about characters and a setting, whether the setting is a city, a nation or some sort of subdivision. The rest usually takes care of itself, though naturally it takes some desire to write, which is more intrinsic on NS than it is in a tabletop game.
Cer - Today at 8:46 PM
[Keeping it PG 13 on NS, o'course ]
Kyrusia - Today at 8:46 PM
(Inb4Harlequins.)
Cer - Today at 8:47 PM
Question 10 posed by bladex1200 - "When looking at character death, it's often a complex issue about whether it's done fairly or cheaply - whether it's legitimate and meant to advance the story or whether it's done to simply grab people's attention in the absence of better alternatives. What would you say about writing a proper character death, when it's appropriate, and how it should factor into the scope (ex. personal to trans-national) and tone (ex. detached vs. dramatic) of the current setting?"
Gren - Today at 8:49 PM
Its appropriate if its the best way to advance the story. If you just want to get rid of the character, there's usually other ways to do that without killing them off. M* A* S* H had excellent displays of both.(edited)
As an example.
Kyrusia - Today at 8:50 PM
Q10: To me, the tone and scope largely depends on the plot itself. If the plot is inter-personal, of course the death is likely to be as well, though not necessarily. The loss of a Head of State due to a personal fouling will, of course, have national and international consequences, but the framing in the narrative itself may only imply one or the other, depending on the characters (and their perspectives) in the story itself.
As for tone... Depends on what sort of message the narrative itself wants to get across and what motiffs it is adhering to. If the theme is one of futility and nihilistic worldviews, the tone of a written death will be different from a narrative talking about valor and self-sacrifice.
Ghant - Today at 8:50 PM
Q10: I think characters serve to advance the story in some way, and contribute to the overall narrative. Eventually you might reach a point where they can no longer do that adequately, and the best way for them to contribute to the story further is to die. As far as when it's appropriate, I think generally the writer will have an idea of when a character ought to die. Like when they've reached a point of absolution, when they've reached the climax of a conflict, or if they decide to sacrifice themselves for someone else or for a higher purpose.
Giovenith - Today at 8:53 PM
Q10: This is a big question that ultimately boils down to looking at the wider context of the story. Some people might tell you that a character should only be killed off if done with all their goals, however, dying before completing their goals can serve in it of itself as an amazing motivation for other characters to continue their legacy. However, this risks falling into the "Women In Freezers" cliche - a character who existed solely so their death could motivate another character, which not only risks making the death emotionally lacking for the audience but also being insulting to the dead character themselves, since they essentially have no identity of their own and only exist for the benefit of another character.
Ultimately, I think what makes a "legitimate" death depends on who the character was in life. Were they compelling in their own right? What does their death as individual say about the themes of the story as a whole instead of just what it means to single other characters?
Cer - Today at 8:53 PM
Question 11 posed by rhodevus - "How do you personally go about constructing an RP storyline? Also, do you prefer sandbox roleplays or railroad roleplays?"
Q11: (as it seemed directed at me) - I prefer boxcar. Those are RP that are a combo of sandbox and railroad. Keep it loose, put it on the rails when the need is there to advance. My storyline construction depends on my group. I'll block out/diagram a story arc for a brand new group, but keep it loose enough to survive contact with players. I'll wing stories with good friends. We shift our focus as suits our whims.
Above all, I don't get too upset when an entire plot is blown due to rampant player foolishness. Not the first time. Nor the second. When it becomes a habit, or ruins games for the entire group, I make the decision whether or not to boot the problem player/s from my game.
Ghant - Today at 8:55 PM
Q11: It depends on the type of RP. For important RPs that have noticable impacts on my nation, I prefer railroad RPs, where I have at least a general idea of how they start, major plot points along the way, and a general idea of where they end. For other sorts of RPs, like balls, parties, diplomatic and court intrigues, sandbox is usually better because it allows for more improvisation.
Giovenith - Today at 8:55 PM
Q11: I try to think about what sorts of circumstances could best provoke interesting responses from certain characters. What could those characters stand to learn? What kind of environments would the thrive in, and what kinds would they fish out of water in? How could it bring certain characters closer together?
Zark - Today at 8:56 PM
Q11: While I can definitely see the appeal in sandbox games, having been in a few, I actually prefer the more railroady ones. In my experience, they tend to generate greater cohesion between characters and have a more stable development. However, it's ultimately a matter of balance. There should be some freedom for the characters to affect the story in some way, but if there is no skeleton to the story, then it's likely to simply fall apart.
Cer - Today at 8:57 PM
We've run out of time. Thank you all for your participation. Hold on to your questions, please. They will be useful in this week's future panels.
NS Roleplay Symposium 2017
TOPIC: TOPIC
TIME: COMPLETED
LOCATION: Symposium Hall
TOPIC: Introduction to Roleplaying (Broad Panel, Late Hour)
TIME: 8PM - 9 PM EST, Sunday, July 9th
Welcome to our 4th panel of the Symposium. I'm Cerillium - please call me Cer - your discussion moderator for this session.
Tonight's topic is Introduction to Roleplaying. There are multiple roleplaying forums on Nationstates, and each of them serve a different purpose. They are, Portal to The Multiverse (P2TM), Forum 7 (F7), International Incidents (II), Global Economics and Trade (GE&T), NS Sports, and Factbooks and National Information (F&NI). Each of these roleplay forums play host to a different part of the Nationstates roleplay community. Tonight, we'll look at the various ways you can ease yourself into these communities, the techniques utilized for successful RP therein, and answer questions about roleplaying in general.
Panelists, please introduce yourselves and tell us which subforums you haunt.
Guests, we will pull your questions from the #questions_chamber. A reminder: we also have a panel at 9PM EST. Thank you.
BEGIN::(edited)
Kyrusia - Today at 8:00 PM
I'm Kyru. NS Game Mod, N&I RP Mentor specializing in FT, and I oversee the Mentor Program.
Giovenith - Today at 8:01 PM
I'm Gio, I'm from P2TM, and I got here just in time!
Zark - Today at 8:02 PM
I'm Zark (Zarkenis Ultima on the forums), P2TM Roleplay Mentor, nice to be back in here
Ghant - Today at 8:02 PM
Ah, here we go. I'm Ghant, veteran N&I RPer specializing in PT and MT.
Mincaldenteans - Today at 8:03 PM
I'm Mincaldenteans from P2TM and avid lurker
Kyrusia - Today at 8:03 PM
(And devotee of the :coffee:, obv.)
Cer - Today at 8:03 PM
Question 1 Stock question - "How did you all get into roleplaying? What drew you in, and why?"
Gren - Today at 8:04 PM
I'm Gren from P2TM, and secretly Jenny from the Block.
Cer - Today at 8:04 PM
Welcome, all panelists. :smile:
Kyrusia - Today at 8:04 PM
Q1: In general? Boredom around my 9th(?) birthday or so. Stumbled across a chatroom for it.
On NS? Got thrown this way off-hand. Stuck around ever since. :stuck_out_tongue:
Giovenith - Today at 8:05 PM
Q1: I was already into writing independently from a young age. When I told my friend I liked to imagine myself living in my favorite cartoons, we played a game where we took turns verbally telling a story about our exploits. I found other people online who did the same thing, and it went on from there.
Gren - Today at 8:06 PM
As for me, I stepped a toe into II, and wasn't very successful. Then I got into F7 RP (before P2TM became a thing), and some time later, got into it through the NSG Senate. And that's when I found out I liked character RP.
Ghant - Today at 8:06 PM
For me, it started when I was a child, probably around 5 or so. It started as a desire to pretend and to take advantage of an abundant sense of imagination. I make roleplay for a few reasons. In life, we experience so much fragmentation of thought and feeling. For me, roleplaying brings things back together. In my own work, that is true throughout the process. At the beginning, developing the basic narrative is deeply reflective and informative. Later, bringing those narratives together into a form—distilling and shaping movement, creating a context, working to something that feels cohesive and complete. That’s incredibly powerful for me—something that really keeps me going. Interestingly, the body of my work is like a catalog of the events and thoughts of my life. For me, making work is almost like keeping a journal. Giving that to someone else—as a kind of gift through live performance—is the most meaningful aspect of my work.
Zark - Today at 8:06 PM
My first internet roleplaying experience was through an internet chat appended to a flash gaming website, and I participated mostly out of curiosity and boredom. It wasn't great, but it did awaken a spark of curiosity that later surfaced again when a friend from the same gaming website introduced me to NationStates. That's the story, anyway. Regarding what drew me in, well, collaborative storytelling is a creative outlet where you can interact with others, so that's nice
Mincaldenteans - Today at 8:09 PM
I got into RP out of love for Star Trek back in the day when AOL Chat RPs were everywhere or play-by-email. It was from there I moved forward through other mediums. Forum/pbp RPs was a new platform when I joined NS, but not too dissimilar in method and playstyle. And really, its a nice way to escape reality for a bit and have some fun in creative writing exercise.
Cer - Today at 8:09 PM
Question 2 posed by Thoricia - "What the best place for a new player to NS to start?"(edited)
Giovenith - Today at 8:11 PM
Q2: The very, very first? I'd say F7. The "Something something in your nation" threads give a good taste for what NS'ers think about in regards to their nations and can give you some basic foundation with which to eventually search out an RP in either N&I or P2TM.
Gren - Today at 8:12 PM
I agree, but I'm probably biased.
Zark - Today at 8:12 PM
I'd say that's rather subjective, personally. It depends on the person's intersts whether or not they would enjoy certain subforum over others, and there will always be someone to teach them the ropes, whether they dip into N&I or 5D. That said, I believe the effort one has to go through to build up your NS to the point that it can be used in a roleplay is greater than the effort needed to find something that appeals to one's tastes in 5D and dip right in.
Ghant - Today at 8:12 PM
Q2: Browsing the forums. Just taking a look around II and NS RPs, or P2M if that's more your appeal. Become familiar with the types of subforums, various types of roleplays, what sort of work is most appealing, etc. Really just reading a lot. The more you read, the better position you'll find yourself in once you're ready to commit yourself to writing.
Kyrusia - Today at 8:13 PM
Q2: That's a toughy. I think it'd depend on the player's play style and what they want to get out of the experience. More than anything, I think it's important to lurk and read the information about whatever board they want to get involved in. Read, absorb, and observe; learn a bit about the community through observation (and OOC interaction) before you decide to jump in.
Cer - Today at 8:13 PM
Question 3 posed by Ched - "What are the obvious signs of a RP belonging in a different subforum than where it is. Like a F7 thread sneaking its way into P2TM or N&I."
Ghant - Today at 8:15 PM
Q3: The question relating to this that I get asked most often about is whether a thread belongs in II or NS. I think the main difference lies in whether or not there are "broad consequences" as a result of the thread. Therefore, military threads and deep diplomatic and conference threads should go in II. On the other hand, things like balls, royal weddings, intrigues and internal, non-civil war RPs seem better suited towards the NS subforum.
Kyrusia - Today at 8:15 PM
Q3: This can, admittedly, be a bit nebulous. The easiest division is between P2TM and N&I, though liminal circumstances do exist, which we (Mods) of course judge individually. Namely: if it involves your NS-country (as a setting, macro-entity, its characters, etc.), it belongs somewhere on the N&I boards; all RP not involving your NS-country belongs in P2TM
As for F7, that really does depend. If it looks and behaves like a thread game, often regardless of how it is billed, it will likely be moved to F7. Othertimes, specific threads specifically go there, despite their tangential relation to N&I - such as "Above Nation" threads.
Gren - Today at 8:16 PM
To paraphrase a Supreme Court justice: "You know it when you see it".
Giovenith - Today at 8:16 PM
Q3: It's one of those cases of, "You can't really describe it, but you know it when you see it." F7 is supposed to be a place for inconsequential, spammy play, things that are more-so just reactions than an actual story.
And damn Gren for stealing my comparison.
Kyrusia - Today at 8:16 PM
Honestly, Gren is not wrong; there is a fair degree of raw experience and knowing the general flow of things involved.
Cer - Today at 8:16 PM
Question 4 posed by Vax - "How do you feel about using tabletop RPG systems for forum roleplay? For nation-level roleplay (as opposed to character roleplay)?"
Gren - Today at 8:17 PM
I'm not at all opposed to mechanical RPs, as they help you better define the limitations and abilities of the entity you're roleplaying.
Ghant - Today at 8:18 PM
Q4: the main issue with tabletop RPG systems is accountability. If you're using such a system for a war rp, for instance, do you trust the other player to use that system fairly? Unless there's a video setup where you can see the dice, for instance, you can't really know. You can just utilize a "Dungeon Master" to facilitate the system in game provided all involved parties trust that person to conduct the game fairly and to everyone's satisfaction.
Kyrusia - Today at 8:19 PM
Q4: I am always wary of trying to forcibly overlay a gaming system not native to NS onto NS. Some things simply do not work, and thus adjustments should be made; trying to force it can lead to Bad Happenings™ for all those involved.
Personally, I am also not much for mechanical systems of decision making with regarding to roleplaying. I, as a Mentor, tend to advise heavily on the collaborative/compromise aspects and the importance of having some manner of friendly rapport with those you RP with, deciding things based upon mutual enjoyment, common sense, and the demands of the plot.
Not to say mechanics can't (or even absolutely shouldn't) play a role, but I think people need to adjust their systems for the unique RP environment of NS.
Cer - Today at 8:20 PM
Q4 A quick weigh-in. We do have mechanics games in P2TM. We have various methods for dice rolling, etc. Please feel free to hit up G-Tech Corporation to get an overview of how they play out.
::(edited)
Question 5 posed by Thoricia - "What are the best resources on NS for new players to access easily?"
Kyrusia - Today at 8:22 PM
Q5: The FAQ, OSRS, and Terms & Conditions of Use. /unfunny but topical
Beyond that? Seriously. Read the stickies. Numerous dedicated players, Mentors, and Mods help keep those things up and filled with resources. It's a shame when a player doesn't visit them first; while no Mentor will complain about getting a question answered in a sticky - they're far too polite and kind-hearted for it - but a lot of the simplest questions are answered by them.(edited)
Zark - Today at 8:22 PM
Q5: Well, there are a myriad of resources on the forum that new players can find simply by looking at the stickies in their forum of preference. The P2TM Info Thread is a good example.
Ghant - Today at 8:22 PM
Q5: The NS Mentors thread, the advice and assistance thread, and either the MT, PMT or FT community hub threads depending on which of those areas they consider the most appealing. The community threads consist of guides, IRC / Discord channels and a general guide to how to get started.
Giovenith - Today at 8:23 PM
Q5: Read le stickies, participate in chat threads, come to official offsite chat. Really, the only huge obstacle is shyness.
Cer - Today at 8:23 PM
Question 6 posed by Insaeldor/Caesoux - "How do you set a scene for an event? Like a discussion between generals, a talk amongst friends. How do you personally set up the mood and the environment in your posts? And what are some ways you seen it done alternatively to yours that you think are good?"
Kyrusia - Today at 8:24 PM
Q6: I have been known to physically act them out, as nerdy as that is, but the general gist is the same: imagine the scene before and during the writing of such. I also tend to emphasize using contextual clues in the writing to indicate the mood, level of tension, etc; visceral writing can help with this, though I know some struggle with that style of writing. Your goal should be to show, not tell, the reader.
I've also seen - and personally used, particularly in thread OPs - blurbs of narrative exposition, I would just recommend using them only rarely - such as in an OP - to help paint the initial scene. Quotes that highlight the theme can also help with this, especially in one-shots.(edited)
Ghant - Today at 8:26 PM
Q6: What I try to do is establish the scene in a similar vein to how it would appear in a movie. You have the setting, and you describe what the setting is like, either from the POV of an involved character or from a general observation. Then I establish who the characters are, if I haven't already done so in a previous post, and why they are there. What they are doing, what's on their minds, etc. There's usually a theme involved that sort of provides structure to the post, whether it's something like fear, apprehension, disgust, loathing, etc. Then the characters in that setting, if there are more than one, communicate, or if it's just one character then they might reflect, have an internal monologue, what have you. I've seen other players start posts off with the conversation at hand and have little in the way of expose, and still capture the dramatic tension of the situation at hand.
Giovenith - Today at 8:27 PM
Q6: A piece of advice I've been told and I think works really well is try to describe what you would see in a show or movie. With visual mediums, you rarely cut to just characters sitting around and talking - you pan over the park in the summer, listen to the laughter of children before focusing in on the characters at a bench. You get a glimpse of the howling, grey skies of a tundra. You pan across the rocker and pop star posters plastered across the main character's walls so that you know what kind of person they are before they open their mouths. This, of course, requires a mind that is able to both consume and disseminate media - try looking at the things you like and breaking down how they operate, and why that works, and see how you can reflect that in your own work.(edited)
Zark - Today at 8:28 PM
Q6: I find that detailing the thoughts and actions (voluntary and involuntary) of the characters is one of the most important things for setting a scene. Not just what they say, but the way they react to what is said and what happens around them. This is especially noticeable in first person, but in my experience most NS roleplaying is carried out in third person, which works fine as well.
It should be noted that, since the characters are not consciousnesses floating in the void, describing their environment to a degree is also important, as it is the environment in which the characters are and with which they'll inevitably interact.
Cer - Today at 8:28 PM
Question 7 Earlier, a guest asked about "characters in a relationship with another, and the OOC player is taking the relationship as something more between you (the player) and them (the OOC player)." They sought tips for these situations. Swith advised, People tend to race into relationships between characters. The IC activity comes across as high school obsessive, or nightclub cheap. There's no chemistry. It's bored players getting a thrill. Real relationships build over time as characters endure trials and tribulations together. If the IC relationship has a solid foundation, there is less of a chance that the other player will treat it as OOC interest.
Question posted by Eridani Imperium - "Follow-up to this morning's question (question 13, to be exact), but how would the mentors develop a relationship between two characters, meeting the criteria of, to quote Swith, "building over time as characters endure trials and tribulations together?"
Mincaldenteans - Today at 8:31 PM
I would say keeping them "together" during sub plots that are appropriate to the setting and seperate to their own stories so that said characters have their own unique perspectives and growth that aren't so tightly bound together that they cannot function without their significant other. Couples have their own interests, opinions, beliefs, careers, goals, worries, etc. etc, and to establish a convincing relationship in an RP, such trials and tribulations in RL often reflect the same in a relationship established in a RP.
Ghant - Today at 8:32 PM
Q7: I have several established character arcs with other players that have evolved organically over time. I think the important thing to remember with this is to allow the characters to grow organically in their own way, as in how those characters would act, how they would behave, and what would they do given various sets of circumstances presented to them. I know that far too often, players WANT a certain outcome for their characters, or want them to do something that isn't entirely within character, and the only reason why they're going in that narrative direction is because that's what the players themselves want. I think this sets a dangerous precedent that's best avoided, because it's damaging to the in game environment when the wishes of the player are superimposed over the natural flow of the story, if you will. To elaborate on what Mincaldenteans said, one of the strongest ways to develop character narratives is to seperate them from the people they're closest to, and allowing them to evolve as individuals and less like accessories to other characters.
Kyrusia - Today at 8:33 PM
Q7: I find the easiest is simply to collaborate with another player for the purpose of this endeavor, weaving a series of plotlines that will both provide independent narratives for each character, but serve to create an overarching plot of interpersonal connectivity between the characters involved. Even so, not every inter-character relationship is so planned or directed; for those that arise simply out of repeated interaction through roleplaying, much as Swith noted: don't rush (unless that rushing serves, itself, as an integral role of the plot). Relationships are complex things and, short of certain forms of infatuation, take time to develop. Even then, however, you can often find that the characters in question will... diverge due to the slow discovery of more things about themselves and each other.
Also, frankly, I think a lot of that is dependent upon the author's own experiences with others, be it romantic or otherwise. "Write what you know." If you have little experience in establishing inter-personal relationships with others, while advice can help, nuance can be missed - and in things such as this, nuance is the keyword.
In closing, I would also - as noted by Min - avoid one-dimensionality or inadvertantly making the characters overly (inter-)dependent. Characters should be treated as individuals with their own thought processes and personalities - again, unless of course, the purpose of the relationship's design is to emphasize one of (inter-)dependency.(edited)
Giovenith - Today at 8:36 PM
Q7: Someday, there will come a time when we'll be able to ask the question, "What is love?" without mentally answering, "Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me no more," but today is not that day.
But yeah, basically the question boils down to asking yourself what real love actually looks like. Humans are infamous for getting confused between relationships they see in fantasy versus relationships that they must develop in real life. In real life, there is no such thing as love at first sight, only lust at first sight and then getting lucky enough for your personalities to click so that it becomes genuine love. One of my mottos in life is this: Love is an action. It doesn't matter how much someone thinks they adore you in their own head, if they don't demonstrate the ability or willingness to do things that care for your needs, it can't truly be called love.
The reason we say "develop relationships over time" is because time is what tells us as human beings how much we can trust another person and how much we really know them. It puts their willingness to care for us to the test, and thus tells us whether or not we can really love them. Romance is supposed to be a partnership, people maintaining a special contact because they've decided that their combined traits create a mutually beneficial lifestyle, and that's something that can only really be confirmed with time, with the opportunity to see how the two of you operate under certain challenges and how you change as people. You have to learn about one's personhood for romance to work, and that is a long research process.
Cer - Today at 8:36 PM
Question 8 posed by MVC - "How does one smoothly resolve combat in an RP? Do good players tend to discuss the results beforehand, or is a degree of competition involved, or is it more trust-based?" - and posed by Ched - "This is more a followup from this morning's panel, but how should one lose with grace? What's the best way one should take being defeated in an RP and take it for future plots?"
Kyrusia - Today at 8:41 PM
Q8: "Yes."
More detailed... "Your worst IC enemy should be your best OOC friend." Natural, friendly competition will always be a thing, but one should forever avoid the OOC desire to defeat an enemy ICly for OOC reasons. I tend to personally always recommend a general collaboration on the outline of what each party wishes to see occur, with leaving plenty of room for improvisation during the process itself. Trust is integral to successful roleplaying in general.
As for the secondary question(s): take it as both an IC and OOC point to grow. Defeat is simply the flipping of the page, providing new levels, degrees, and points of conflict - which as we know, conflict in all forms is the seed of plot. And losing with grace? I know I personally enjoy writing the loss in a manner that is particularly enjoyable for everyone involved. If you're going to lose - or kill off a character - write it well and in an interesting manner; no one likes to have their "victory" constitute the other player just posting, "And we all died. The end."
FRFS - Today at 8:41 PM
Q8: There is always some level of competition. Even amongst great friends. But in most story lines there is a winner and a loser. And losing one story, can propel you so many ways in further in other ones. Losing really isn't a bad thing from a literary perspective.
Zark - Today at 8:41 PM
Regarding the first part, I find that discussing the results beforehand helps a lot in resolving an in-character conflict in a satisfactory manner. I've been in a few roleplays where frequent player-versus-player action was expected, and discussing the results beforehand was basically a rule. Now, that does not mean that it cannot be resolved satisfactorily in a different way: if the players involved have a particular level of trust between them, they could just as well let things play out and see which character should win in the heat of the moment; as I said though, this requires trust.
Regarding the second, I believe that defeat in a roleplay is a prime opportunity for character development. The way a character may take their defeat as a lesson and use it to strive to be better (or alternatively, find themselves unable to move past it) are good examples.
Ghant - Today at 8:42 PM
Q8: Trust is an important element in any functional roleplay, especially military rps, as the old addage goes, "your worst IC enemy should be your best OOC friend." In any event, I think that "good" players conduct such situations fairly, whether that's collaborative or competitive in nature. As far as losing, I've often believed that losing has many narrative merits. One only need to look at history, and three examples that come to mind. The Greeks at Thermopylae, Hannibal in the Second Punic War, and the Texans at the Alamo, to name a few. These are very famous factions that lost their great battles, and yet alot of good came from that. So as far as losing with grace, I'd say if you can capture a great story or future narrative from the loss, take it, because there's no shame in that if you can create something great as a result.
Giovenith - Today at 8:42 PM
Q8: Combat, I believe, is best done between players who have a really good relationship both so that less harsh feelings are had and that there is a reasonable understanding of what each other's characters are capable of. Players who know the person they're fighting well (and may have even a sort of personal attachment themselves to that person's characters) will have an easier time letting themselves lose, because they both understand why it would be logical for them to come out the loser and they don't feel like the other player is doing it to hurt them.
As for losing with grace, it really depends on your character's personality. Are they haughty? Then this may humble them. Are they a good sport? They might laugh and congratulate the other character for being so awesome. Are they insecure? They might run away, cry, and promise to become stronger. Who have they lost to? An enemy, a stranger, a friend? What is the potential cost of this loss? These are the questions you ask to formulate how to best respond to losing.
Cer - Today at 8:42 PM
Question 9 posed by Almaniania [Eternity] - "If you have friends that do Tabletop RPGs that are interested in RPing in a Forum style (NationStates), what is a good way to get them on their feet or ease their transition?"
Kyrusia - Today at 8:45 PM
Q9: Introduce them to pen-and-paper roleplaying.
More seriously, have them take a snippet of some experience or mental scene in a game or campaign they themselves have participated in, and ask them to complete it as a narrative. Some Imperial Guardsmen slowly being killed-off by ever advancing hoards of 'Nids in a campaign, ultimately having ended with some valiant save where the Guardsmen did lose, but the Tyranid victory was phyrric? Write it as a narrative. In the case of games like WH40K and similar, it helps in that these settings natrually evoke visceral imagery.
Ghant - Today at 8:45 PM
Q9: I've recruited some of my Dungeons and Dragons friends to NS, and I think the way that I've best been able to appeal to them is to present NS as a "collaborative fiction writing venue." One thing that tabletop games and NS have in common is a general sense of creating and enacting stories that require imagination and dedication, which produces its own reward. So for starters, just getting them to think about characters and a setting, whether the setting is a city, a nation or some sort of subdivision. The rest usually takes care of itself, though naturally it takes some desire to write, which is more intrinsic on NS than it is in a tabletop game.
Cer - Today at 8:46 PM
[Keeping it PG 13 on NS, o'course ]
Kyrusia - Today at 8:46 PM
(Inb4Harlequins.)
Cer - Today at 8:47 PM
Question 10 posed by bladex1200 - "When looking at character death, it's often a complex issue about whether it's done fairly or cheaply - whether it's legitimate and meant to advance the story or whether it's done to simply grab people's attention in the absence of better alternatives. What would you say about writing a proper character death, when it's appropriate, and how it should factor into the scope (ex. personal to trans-national) and tone (ex. detached vs. dramatic) of the current setting?"
Gren - Today at 8:49 PM
Its appropriate if its the best way to advance the story. If you just want to get rid of the character, there's usually other ways to do that without killing them off. M* A* S* H had excellent displays of both.(edited)
As an example.
Kyrusia - Today at 8:50 PM
Q10: To me, the tone and scope largely depends on the plot itself. If the plot is inter-personal, of course the death is likely to be as well, though not necessarily. The loss of a Head of State due to a personal fouling will, of course, have national and international consequences, but the framing in the narrative itself may only imply one or the other, depending on the characters (and their perspectives) in the story itself.
As for tone... Depends on what sort of message the narrative itself wants to get across and what motiffs it is adhering to. If the theme is one of futility and nihilistic worldviews, the tone of a written death will be different from a narrative talking about valor and self-sacrifice.
Ghant - Today at 8:50 PM
Q10: I think characters serve to advance the story in some way, and contribute to the overall narrative. Eventually you might reach a point where they can no longer do that adequately, and the best way for them to contribute to the story further is to die. As far as when it's appropriate, I think generally the writer will have an idea of when a character ought to die. Like when they've reached a point of absolution, when they've reached the climax of a conflict, or if they decide to sacrifice themselves for someone else or for a higher purpose.
Giovenith - Today at 8:53 PM
Q10: This is a big question that ultimately boils down to looking at the wider context of the story. Some people might tell you that a character should only be killed off if done with all their goals, however, dying before completing their goals can serve in it of itself as an amazing motivation for other characters to continue their legacy. However, this risks falling into the "Women In Freezers" cliche - a character who existed solely so their death could motivate another character, which not only risks making the death emotionally lacking for the audience but also being insulting to the dead character themselves, since they essentially have no identity of their own and only exist for the benefit of another character.
Ultimately, I think what makes a "legitimate" death depends on who the character was in life. Were they compelling in their own right? What does their death as individual say about the themes of the story as a whole instead of just what it means to single other characters?
Cer - Today at 8:53 PM
Question 11 posed by rhodevus - "How do you personally go about constructing an RP storyline? Also, do you prefer sandbox roleplays or railroad roleplays?"
Q11: (as it seemed directed at me) - I prefer boxcar. Those are RP that are a combo of sandbox and railroad. Keep it loose, put it on the rails when the need is there to advance. My storyline construction depends on my group. I'll block out/diagram a story arc for a brand new group, but keep it loose enough to survive contact with players. I'll wing stories with good friends. We shift our focus as suits our whims.
Above all, I don't get too upset when an entire plot is blown due to rampant player foolishness. Not the first time. Nor the second. When it becomes a habit, or ruins games for the entire group, I make the decision whether or not to boot the problem player/s from my game.
Ghant - Today at 8:55 PM
Q11: It depends on the type of RP. For important RPs that have noticable impacts on my nation, I prefer railroad RPs, where I have at least a general idea of how they start, major plot points along the way, and a general idea of where they end. For other sorts of RPs, like balls, parties, diplomatic and court intrigues, sandbox is usually better because it allows for more improvisation.
Giovenith - Today at 8:55 PM
Q11: I try to think about what sorts of circumstances could best provoke interesting responses from certain characters. What could those characters stand to learn? What kind of environments would the thrive in, and what kinds would they fish out of water in? How could it bring certain characters closer together?
Zark - Today at 8:56 PM
Q11: While I can definitely see the appeal in sandbox games, having been in a few, I actually prefer the more railroady ones. In my experience, they tend to generate greater cohesion between characters and have a more stable development. However, it's ultimately a matter of balance. There should be some freedom for the characters to affect the story in some way, but if there is no skeleton to the story, then it's likely to simply fall apart.
Cer - Today at 8:57 PM
We've run out of time. Thank you all for your participation. Hold on to your questions, please. They will be useful in this week's future panels.
NS Roleplay Symposium 2017
TOPIC: TOPIC
TIME: COMPLETED